Block press



2 Sheets-Sheet l 30 1927. Aug` E. G. LOOMIS BLOCK PRESS Filed Deo. 9. 1925 E. G. LOOMIS BLOCK PRESS Aug. 30, 1927.

2 Sheets-Sheet Vf2 Filed D60. 9, 1925 INVENToR :o9/P715 a0/ws Patented Aug. i 30, 1927;

UNITED STA EVARTS G. LOOMIS, F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

BLOCK PRESS.

Application led December 9, 1925. Serial No. 74,281.

The object of my invention is to provide a press of this character which may be used for forming Celluloid, casein, rubber compounds and other similar plastic materials into solid masses called cakes or blocks, which cakes or blocks adhere toa rigid metal base known as a cake plate. From this press this block and base go to suitable machinery for cutting the cake into sheet or l0 rod form. Itwill be understood that such presses operate on large masses at great pressures and so they have to be correspondingly rigid and tight to function properly and Without loss of material through leak- 15 age. My invention greatly reduces the weight of material employed in such presses without sacrificing strength or rigidity and distributes the same so that it is most effective in taking the various tensile compressive and bending stresses. Such presses act on blocks of plastic material which are gen'- erally about thirty to sixty inches long, twenty-four inches wide and three to ten inches thickv and apply heat and at the same time pressures of about three hundred and fifty pounds or more to the square inch.

For a more detailed description of lmy invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which y Figure 1 is a sectional view of a press embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan Aview of the same, and Figure 3 is a side elevation of this structure.

Throughout the various views of the drawings, similar reference characters designate similar parts.

The material v1 which is acted lon by the press 2 is brought to the press in a plastic condition from the rolls where the materials have been mixed to a uniform consistency. In this form this material is irregular, rough l and more or less mixed with air. 'L5 to expel the air and mould this mass into a homogeneous cake it is necessary to Jput it under a pressure of about three hundred and fifty pounds per squarev inch or more, Awhile in a heated condition. To properly In order Y treat'this material, it is compressed in the 50 press 2 while on a base or cake plate 3 which has a ribbed upper surface 4 with grooves into which the cakeis pressed so as to be firmly held.

The mm.

This cake plate 3 rests on a heating plate 5 with suitable passages 6 which 'run to connections 7 by means of which the plate 5 may be brought to any desired temperature during the functioning of the apparatus.r At times' hot water or steam is passed through this plate to heat the same and at times cold water is passed through to cool it. It has suitable perforations through which pass suitable screws 8 which hold this plate 5 firmly on the head 9 (but separated therefrom by asbestos or other suitable insulation 92) of the'plunger 10. This plunger 10 .slides freely in a suitable cylinder 12 and this cylinder casting also forms the base of the press 2. Below the piston 10 is a space 13 which may be supplied by a liquid under pressure by means of a suitable .passage 14 at the bottom of the cylinder.

The sides and ends of the press' chase.

The sides 15 of'this press are also pro- 80 vided with. suitable passages 16 through which hot or cold fluids may be passed and these passages are connected to corresponding passages 17 in the ends Y18 of this press. Suitable pipes 19 permit the inflow and `out- 85 flow of the heating and cooling fluids, as is obvious. The ends 18 are secured to the sides 15 by means of suitable bolts or cap screws 20 and also suitable recesses in which the ends fit and enough of these bolts are 90 used to hold these parts in rigid relation. These sides andV ends form what is' commonly known in the art as a chase.

The sides 15 are extended downwardly at 21 and perforated so that bolts 22 may pass 95 therethrough. They are also provided with tenons 23 which take into suitable mortises in the base 11 and fit tight therein and these are held place by the bolts 22, above described, -Th'e result` of this isthat the sides are very rigidly held to the base for a purpose which will appear below.

' Two of the vprojections 21 are recessed at 24 to receive the` swinging bolts 25 which 'are mounted, as shown, and are used to hold the cover, as will appear, below.y Above these bolts 25 `are suitable shoulders 26 which function so as to hold the l'cover 1n place. This shoulder 26 is slightly inclined for a purpose that will appear below.

The other sidev15 carries suitable ears 27 near' its top for the purpose of forming a 4portion of the hinges forthe cover, these ears being perforated to receive the pivot 28 of the hinges.

. The cover.

i The-cover 29vhassuitable projections 30 whichv take between the ears 27 and about the pivot'28 so that the cover is hinged to swing true. For the lpurposes of vgiving adequate stren th, this cover is suitably ribbed, as indicate heating and cooling it is provided with suitable inlet and outlet pipes 32 which run to I Asuitable passages 33 by means of which the fluids maybe passed for heating and cooling. This cover has a'pair of projecting ears 34 between which passes a pin 35 that is connectedto a chain 36. This chain is also pivotally connected 'to the piston rod 37 of a cylinder 38, which is fixed to the cylinder 11, as shown in Figure 1. This piston rod 37 passes through a suitable stuffing carry a; pivot 46 which also-engage the upper ends of links 47 which extend through slots 1n the edge 48 of the cover 29 and downwardly to the bolts25, these -links being shaped as shown in Figure l, each formed so I as to have a'projection engaging the projection 26l and a slot to receive the bolt 25.- lThe upper edges of the sides 15 and ends 18 -are tapered and carefully fitted to corresponding engaging surfaces. of the 'cover .cover to press very firmly against the upper .I

so that as the bolt 25 is tightened the incli-` nation of the shoulder 26 will cause a slight downwardA movement ofI .the link 47 and thereby cause the `inclined inner edges of the edge -of the sides 15 and ends 18 ,and reinforce the same against the internal` outward pressure. Furthermore, the engagement 'of at 31, andfor the purposes of- Operation. In -view of the foregoing, the operation Iof my improved press will be readilyunderstood. Pressure is applied through the pipe 42 of the cylinder 38 and-an exhaust occurs through the pipe 43. lThis causes the piston 37 to descend and when descending it will lraise the'- coyer 29, assuming that the cover is free to move as it is when the links 47 are released from theswinging bolts 25. 'Once the cover is raised, pressure is applied through the passage 14 and the ram is raised `nntilthe base 3 can be put in place with convenience and without injuryto the iinished surfaces on the plate 5, after which pressure is withdrawn through the passage 14 and the plunger 10 ofthe cylinder 11 falls to the lower limit of its movement. The plastic material to be acted upon is then put in place and the surfaces of the sides and ends 15 and 18, which are to come in contact with the cover 29,`are carefully cleaned, a sheet of metal 49,- or other suitable material, is placed on the block 1 so as to, prevent contact with the cover 29 and thereafter the cylinder 38 functions so as to -lower the cover 29 and when the cover 29 is` in place, the' links 47 are properly secured by` the swing' bolts 25.- Heat is then applied through the pipes 7 19 and 32 and pressure is applied through the passage 14 and this heat and pressure is applied for any time that'may be necessary to compress the plastic mass into the desired condition; After this pressure has been exerted the requisite time, the heating fluids are withdrawn and cooling fluids are applied through the'same pipes and further pressure is applied and thereupon the mass hardens and'solidifies andthereafter, when the proper cooling-is had and the mass is solid and ir'm, the swing bolts 2 5 are released `and the links 47 are freed so that the cover maybe raised, in the above'described manner, through the action joint-S are tight and held tight-because the signed so yas to economize i this parts of the press that contain the block are pressed so as to react against each other and the block 1, that is, in addition to pressures through the blockv l, one .side 15 will react against the other side 15 and end 18 against the end 18 through the cover 29. and the base 11 through the arms 21.Which thus serve as tension members'for resistingjthe reaction between the ram `10 and the cover 29, and also as lever arms holding the lower edges of the chase sides 15 from spreading, so that no matter What the pressure may be there will be no leakage and all this is accomplished with a minimum amount. of metal in the press which is carefully deg respect, as above pointed out..

embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that it is not restricted thereto, but that it is broad enough to cover all structures that come Withinthe scopeof the annexed claims. f Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

l. In a press of the class described, a cylinder base, a chase fixed to saidv cylinder base, a kcover hinged to said chase, `means on said cover for holding the sides together at the top when under high pressure, links pivotally connected to said cover and -means for securing said links so that they will se'- lcure the. acover to prevent leakage under high pressure. l v

' 2. In a press 'of the class described', a c linder base, a chase fixed to said cylin er base, a'cover hinged to said chase, means on said cover for holding the sides true at the top when underhigh pressure, links pivotally connected to said cover, means for securing said links to secure the covergso that there will be no leakage under high ressure and means for raising and loWerlng the cover. y

3. In a press 'of the class describeda cylinder base, a chase having projecting parts engaging said cylinder base through mortise and tenon joints, a coverhinged at one side of said chase, projections on the edges of said cover adapted lto engage the sidesand ends 'of said chase and hold the same firmly, links secured vto lsaid cover on the side remote from said hinge and means for holding the linksfirmly so xas tol make them secure the cover.

4. In a press of the class describeda cylinder base, a chase secured to said cylinder base, a cover hinged at oneside of said chase, a link pivotally connect-edv to the cover on the4 side opposite the hinge, an inclined surface on said link adapted to engage a corresponding surface on the chase and means for `forcing said inclined surfaces into close engagement, 'whereby the cover is brought in close contact With the chase.

5.In`a press ofv the class described, a hydraulic cylinder, a chase, a cover hinged to said chase, means for causing the cover to engagethe vchase With a reinforcing and tight contact and a second hydraulic cylinder connected to said cover for raising or lowering the same, the said second cylinder rbeing held in rigid relation with the first cylinder.

6. In a press of the class decribed, a cylinder base, a chase mounted on said cylinder .base and held in rigid relation thereto, a ram, a cover hinged to one side of said chase and means for causing the cover to engage the sides of the chase With a reinforcing and tight effect and means for heat- 'ing or cooling the cover chase and head of ram.

Vhile I have shown and described one 7; In a press of the class described, a cylinder base, a ram, a plate resting on the plunger of this ram, a chase fixed to said cylinder b ase and supported thereby and f adapted to engage said plate, a cover hinged at one side of said chase and adapted to engage the chase with a tight joint and means 4for causing the cover to be held so that it Will reinforce the chase.

8.- In a press of the class described, a cylinder base, a plunger operating in said cylinder base, a plate restlng on the plunger, a chaseI fixed to said cylinder base and supported thereby," and adapted to engage said plate, a cover hinged at one side of said chase and adapted tor engage the chase With a tight joint, means for causing the cover to be held so thatit will reinforce the chase and means for raising and lowering the cover.

9. In a pressofthe class described, a chase, means for applying pressure to plastic material in said chase, a hinged cover provided With surfaces engaging opposingsurfacesof said chase to prevent the sides ofsaid chase spreading as a result of the internal pressure of said niaterial.a

10. In a press of the class described, a

chase, means for applying pressure to plastic` material in said chase, a cover with projecting inclined lips arranged'to engage inclined surfaces on the exterior of sides of said chase to prevent spreading of said sides as a result of the internal pressure, said cove;` being hinged on one side of said chase and secured on opposite'side by means of suitable links.

11. Ina press .of the class described, a chase, al means for closing said chase after loading with material, a platen operated by means of a hydraulic ram and cylinder to apply pressure to material iny said chase',

lul)

downwardlyy extending arms from the opposite sides of said chase, means for securing together Vsuch opposite] disposed armsto resist the spreading ten ency of the sides of pressure of the material.

12. Inf'a press of the class described, a.v

to spread due to the. internal `outwardly pressure of the material.

13. In a press of the class described', a chase for containing the material to be blocked, al cover accurately fitting lthe upper surface of said chase(l and arranged to be rigidly secured tol it by any suitable means, a ram having mounted on it a platen to litting the inside of said chase and designe by its upward motiomto compress said material in said chase, said ram operating in a hydraulic cylinder in the base of the press, downwardly extending arms from the opposite sidesj of said chase each secured to said cylinder base of press in such a manner as to serve at the same time as tension members to resist the upward pressure of the material to prevent the spreading ofjthe sides of; the

`chase. said chase dueto the. internal. outwardly 14:. In a press ofthe class described a chase, a ram acting to apply pressure on material inside said chase, a cover provided to close upper opening 'of said chase and at the same time to resist the spreading tend-v ency of the sides of the chase, arms extending downwardly from the sides of said chase` 4 and acting to support the chase from the base of the machine, to resist the pressure of the said material against the chase cover and to tie together the opposite `chase sides to resist spreading action due to internal pressure of the material.

15. In a press of the class described a chase, a ram acting to apply pressure on material inside said chase, a cover provided to close upper surfaceof said chase and at the same time to resist the spreadingy tendency of the sides of the chase, arms extending downwardly from the sides of said chase and acting to support the chase from the base f the machine, toresist the pressure of said material against the chase cover and to tie together the opposite chase sides to resist- Spreading action due to internalppressure of the material and means for alternately heating and cooling the chase, the cover and the platen of said press.

4In testimony whereoL'I have hereuntoset my hand this 7th day of December, 1925.

EVARTS G. LOOMIS. 

